Dusk Castle, Forbidden Area.
The life energy remained rich, and that unceasing vitality was also evident.
However, the World Tree sapling had already stopped growing, and had also stopped transforming.
To be precise, this wasn't a World Tree, but a failed evolution of one.
Orion gazed at the unchanged World Tree, helpless, utterly distraught.
That perfectly-figured, supremely beautiful Saintess Violet had not returned through this.
The child she conceived hadn't emerged from the seed either.
Orion didn't know what had happened; he longed for an answer.
But this answer, no one could give him.
An unknown amount of time passed before Orion, dejected, walked out of the forbidden area and arrived in the castle hall.
"Honey!"
"Darling!"
"Daddy!"
The calls from Lilith, Soraya, and Elara startled Orion awake.
Orion looked up, facing everyone's curious gazes, his own eyes filled with confusion.
"What happened? Why are you all looking at me like that?"
